


Trick or Treat

by ShinyHokage



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotionally Repressed, F/F, Halloween, Party, Squirrels, Useless Lesbians
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:26:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26683639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShinyHokage/pseuds/ShinyHokage
Summary: Diana Cavendish struggles with retaining her composure around a certain young witch dressed as a Jedi Squirrel.And answers a nagging question: what in the name of the Nine Olde Witches should she respond to "Trick or Treat"?
Relationships: Diana Cavendish & Atsuko "Akko" Kagari, Diana Cavendish/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari
Comments: 2
Kudos: 65





	Trick or Treat

“Hello there.”

“General Kagari.”

Diana Cavendish sighed and closed her copy of Ghost Vestiges and Where to Find Them. She had been reading the same sentence over and over for the past half hour, unfortunately distracted by the antics of a certain cafeteria table. Her eyes remained glued to the leather cover; the internal admission that a certain Jedi Squirrel had drawn her attention didn’t warrant broadcasting. The last thing Diana wanted was for her peers to think a witch of her stature paid any heed to someone like…

“No. I am your mommy.”

“Ew,” the Jedi Squirrel protested and playfully smacked Amanda O’Neill’s thigh with her cardboard lightsaber. “Literally never say those words to me again!”

Someone like Atsuko Kagari. 

Hannah snorted from across the blue team’s lunch table. It seemed everyone in the cafeteria was entranced by the dramatic re-enactment taking place atop the red and green teams’ tables, pushed together for maximum stage space. The scene was an utter disgrace, a blatant disregard of these hallowed halls, a transgression worthy of detention, and yet for the life of her Diana couldn’t tear her eyes away. Lapses in her otherwise impervious self-control like this required quick and decisive action. 

She placed her book on the table with perhaps too much fervor, based on the starts of her teammates, and rose from her seat. “Apologies girls, I’m afraid I must leave lunch early today. Professor Finnelan requested my aid in translating another section of Luna Nova’s null contract with Fafnir. For historical purposes.” The ease with which she lied to her closest friends left Diana with a twinge of guilt; why was she lying? All other eyes in the room were drawn to Kagari and O’Neill, why not hers? Diana blinked away her self-indulgent thoughts. She already knew the answer. 

The world demanded more from a Cavendish.

\---

“Hallows’ Evening, colloquially referred to as Halloween, is a tradition with roots in ancient Celtic traditions; namely, the Gaelic Samhain festival and its kindred Brittonic Celtic Calan Gaeaf. Scholars believe Hallows’ Evening to be a Christianized version of these harvest festivals. Nonetheless, the majority of modern non-magic users celebrate Halloween secularly through participation in activities such as: trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, dressing up in costumes, practicing unendorsed divinations, and frequenting ‘haunted’ houses.”

The Pilot G2 pen, meticulously selected from dozens of candidates, drifted across Diana’s notebook through habit alone. Hearing Professor Locke’s lecture and hearing it were altogether distinct entities. Her course on modern non-magic traditions was new to Luna Nova; as if the addition of Modern Magic hadn’t been enough. There was a time and a place for everything, and Diana didn’t believe this was it. Luna Nova had survived countless ‘modern eras’ without change after all. Or perhaps what truly bothered her was the fact that adapting along with her school was proving a challenge. One that could not be buried under stacks of books. 

Or perhaps Diana’s sour outlook was a result of the student fidgeting two rows in front of her. Akko, in her usual oblivious air, had walked into the classroom without considering the difficulties of sitting with her onesie’s bushy tail. The recommendation to do so must’ve come from that O’Neill. Diana scribbled a mental note to have a conversation with Luna Nova’s troublemaker after class. 

An inaudible gasp escaped her lips. Diana Cavendish had scribbled a physical note to do so. The young witch turned the page and glanced furtively at her teammates to check if they noticed. Their eyes remained partially focused on Professor Locke; Barbara’s mind would’ve wandered to the latest Night Fall novel given that it recounted a Hallows’ Evening party (allegedly, Diana would never waste time looking into such topics). Hannah’s brow furrowed at the board, then at O’Neill, then the board once more. She must’ve come to the same conclusion as Diana about the rapscallion’s influence. 

The bell rang and Diana neatly collected her things. Akko the Squirrel, ignoring her non-kangaroo nature, stuffed her blank piece of paper into Nine Olde Witches know where and launched into a heated debate with O’Neill over who would brew a potion Diana didn’t remember.

And Diana Cavendish was loathe to forget. 

“Hannah, Barbara, in which unit of potions did we learn to brew ‘virgin jello shots’?”

The redhead and blue-nette stifled snickers; Diana had made it clear ridicule was the fastest way out of her favor. 

“Amanda’s hosting a Halloween party in the green team dorm tonight, before curfew of course, and has been bragging about that brew for the past week. Barbara and I are gonna stop by. You should come with us to find out the recipe.” Hannah smirked. “And knowing Akko, squirrel costume in close quarters will be hilarious.” 

Diana tapped her chin. “O’Neill concocted her own brew? I believed Sucy to be the potions expert… and the red and green teams in one room with an unknown substance… very well, I’ll accompany you. If only to make sure all is well.”

Hannah’s eyes flicked to Diana’s notebook before meeting Barbara’s; a subtle action that made blonde witch’s heart skip a beat. _They noticed_. Quick and decisive action. 

“Excuse me, I must help Professor Finnelan with… more translation.” Diana swiveled on her heels and strode in the opposite direction, leaving her shocked friends behind. 

Diana bit her lower lip; she needed a remedy for her newly wayward mindset. 

\---

The English noble, accustomed to the finery of her stature, failed to conceal her disgust. This ‘virgin jello shot’ brew was among the least palatable to meet Diana’s tastebuds. And yet O’Neill grinned smugly at her guests and egged them to pluck another small plastic cup filled with lime-green gelatin from her tray. All members of the red, green, and blue teams were present. All were in costume save for Diana, who insisted on wearing her uniform despite Hannah’s attempts at convincing her otherwise. The devil’s advocate costume, described in less than reputable terms, was something Diana wouldn’t be caught dead in. Her peers were dressed in much more tame outfits, which led Diana to think Hannah had tried to ‘trick’ her. 

By the Nine, Diana hoped no more Hallows’ Evening traditions leaked into her life. 

Akko, true to Hannah’s prediction, came decked out in her Jedi Squirrel outfit: a squirrel onesie with puffy tail and cream cloak pulled over it. The round ears of the hood were rather endearing, and Diana couldn’t help but smile as they flopped back and forth with each of the energetic girl’s bounces. Akko had never been one to mimic an animal simply and this combination of ideas into one costume fit her perfectly. 

O’Neill had abandoned her ‘Sith robes’ for a pirate costume, complete with taped-on shoulder parrot and an egregious rainbow eyepatch. This pirate was engaged in persuading the vampire twins –  
Hannah and Barbara – to drink, or eat, more jello. 

“C’mon, you’re calling this bad? These don’t even alcohol!”

“No way I’m putting anything you touched near my mouth.”

Even the romantically sheltered Cavendish cringed at Hannah’s word choice. Maybe that was the intention. Diana shook her head to dispel the thought and continued to take in her surroundings. The green team had discovered a non-magic trend of group costumes; Jasminka wore a dress coated in treasure maps and Constanze looked to have been the parrot before her role was stolen by the painted toilet paper roll atop O’Neill’s shoulder. Sucy, Lotte, and Akko were less organized. The Finnish girl’s costume must’ve been a rendition of some _Night Fall_ character, a girl in a yellow dress holding a book and a hydrangea, and Sucy… Sucy was a mushroom. 

And so the Lady Cavendish sat with her peers and listened to ghost stories. She watched them eat the atrocious jello. She smiled politely as each greeted her before diving into deep conversations about shallow topics with their friends. She glanced out the window to measure the height of the Moon. By now, it would be getting close to curfew. Hannah and Barbara had intended to stop by only for a short while, but the hours had dragged on. Diana knew she could leave at any moment. Years of etiquette kept her there. 

Years of etiquette tapped her on the shoulder. “Hey Diana, do you wanna do a shot with me?”

“I-” Do a shot? Diana had no clue what Akko meant, and the realization that each second without answer made her appear more foolish only served to increase her panic. The Japanese witch stared up at her expectantly, no, Akko _beamed_ at her. Diana felt her face heating up. This was absurd, Akko’s question was worded unclearly, or she had used terminology beyond the scope of nobility. It was clearly no fault of Diana’s that she didn’t understand. She simply needed to relay this to the… squirrel… with flopping ears… beaming at her. “P-pardon?”

Akko whisked two cups of lime jello from the tray - currently sitting abandoned atop Amanda’s bed as the girl’s debate with Hannah and Barbara required wild gestures now - and shoved one into Diana’s hand. 

“Do a shot. It’s where we link our arms at the elbow and drink at the same time!”

 _Linking arms? With an acquaintance? How incredibly familiar and oh._ Akko stepped closer and Diana dropped her cup the moment their arms touched. 

“Apologies, I-I believe it’s curfew,” Diana stuttered. Diana was stuttering. She couldn’t believe it. What in the world had gotten into her these past few days? She needed to leave before whatever malady had afflicted her composure caused further absurdities. “Thank you for the lovely evening, O’Neill.” 

Diana slipped out the door with her usual outward grace and prayed nobody heard the pounding of her heart nor saw the flush rising to her cheeks. The pride of Luna Nova rubbed her temples as she walked briskly back to her dorm. She would search every tome, scan every word, until she discovered the antidote. 

\--- 

_24:00_

If looks could kill, the glare Diana directed at the timepiece in her room would’ve set the poor device ablaze before flinging it through her room’s window and succinctly smashing it against the cobblestone path below. Two hours, two hours, had passed and Diana had skimmed the contents of every book in her room to no avail. Two hours and she had no idea where to begin. This was not the first time the witch had encountered setbacks. Rigorous study was an integral part of her life; however, her current situation added the complication of relating to private matters, and thus seeking advice from a professor was out of the question. 

An idea, equal parts tempting and scandalous, had stewed in the back of her mind for the past half hour. Students, staff, faculty, all trusted the Cavendish without doubt, and she was allowed free reign of the Academy. Free reign that included the Archives. 

Diana sighed and stood up. _There’s nothing to be done, I’m no use to anyone in this state._

Hannah and Barbara had yet to return from the party, a fact Diana decided had transitioned from unprofessional to convenient. With a flick of her wand, the witch conjured an illusion of herself and placed it under her covers in the event that they returned before her. The deception was bothersome; Diana knew her roommates would never turn her in, but they’d ask questions. Questions she didn’t have an answer to. 

Luna Nova’s halls adopted a serene silence at this hour, disturbed only by the soft pitter-patters of Diana’s bare feet atop the stone floors. As star student, Diana was often assigned to patrol the campus after curfew; this was the first time she risked being the one caught. It filled her with childish glee and memories of slipping from her room in Cavendish Manor to sneak another tart from the kitchens. 

She had thought herself invisible. 

_Oh dear, it appears I must tell Anna that we have a kitchen mouse,_ Diana smiled at the memory of being caught red handed – strawberry tarts were a family favorite. Ever the kind figure Diana strove to emulate, her mother chose to partake in the spoils together rather than scold. The two mice stole away from the pantry and ate on the balcony outside Beatrice’s room. That night was the last time Diana fell asleep in her mother’s lap, only to awake in her bed. 

She stopped outside a door that led to one of Luna Nova’s balconies, moonlight streamed through the windows. Diana knew she should continue to the archives, knew anyone with eyes would see her breaking curfew, knew it was silly to indulge in reminiscing. 

The cool night air made her shiver.

Fixated on the full moon above, Diana didn’t hear the balcony door open and close behind her. 

“Trick or treat?”

She spun to face floppy ears. “Oh, Akko. You startled me.”

Akko stared at the floor and shifted anxiously; hands held behind her back. Ah, of course, Diana had yet to answer the question. It dawned on Diana that her recent lack of focus coincided with being near Akko – a result of witch and non-witch families interacting? Diana had never experienced such issues around Andrew, but Andrew had never attended Luna Nova. Satisfied with herself for a mystery solved, Diana stifled the beating of her heart and straightened her posture. 

“Treat I suppose.” Based on the frequency of Akko’s interactions with O’Neill, whatever trick consisted of would be borderline disastrous. 

Akko’s eyes met hers and sparkled with what Diana would later describe as pure joy. In the moment, Diana’s only thoughts were _scarlet_ and _close_. She almost didn’t notice the object held out to her. It was shaped like a woman, with a wrapper portraying Shiny Chariot crinkled over its surface. 

“Chocolate!” Akko exclaimed as if it were the most obvious fact in the world. “It’s like one of those Santa chocolates, but better because Shiny Chariot. I basically grew up on these. My mom sends me one every holiday since Blytonbury’s grocery store doesn’t have any.”

“Oh.”

“Here, treat.” Akko took Diana’s hand once it became clear her rival wasn’t moving and closed her fingers around the chocolate. “Happy Halloween!” She added with a pat. 

“Oh.”

The sparkle disappeared from Akko’s eyes. “Do… do you not like it?”

_Oh, dear._

“No- I- yes…” Diana coughed. “It’s lovely Akko, thank you.”

“You’re supposed to say it back, but I already got trick from Amanda earlier and…” Akko’s eyes glazed over and she rubbed her lower back. Diana pursed her lips, O’Neill. “So you can do treat!”

The events of the past few months had left Diana with an admiration for Akko’s nature: tenacious and energetic. If only the girl would demonstrate these attributes in a manner befitting a Luna Nova witch. And Akko was fast. She wrapped her arms around Diana before an adequate amount of time to process ‘treat’ had passed and pulled her into a tight hug. Diana stiffened at first before she felt it melt away; she gently squeezed Akko back before she closed her eyes. Alone with Akko on the balcony under the moonlight, Diana let herself remember the warmth of her mother’s embrace. 

The last thing Diana Cavendish wanted was for her peers to think she paid no heed to someone like Atsuko Kagari.

**Author's Note:**

> Me when Chariot whipped out a lightsaber to fight Croix in a Death Star lab: what  
> Me last night then thinking "Hello There" and "General Kagari": time for soft Diakko


End file.
